Isle artist Murakami releases new ‘Gordon Rider’

With the hype surrounding "Iron Man" sure to gradually ease, and with yesterday's Free Comic Book Day out of the way, we at "Drawn & Quartered" would like to call your attention to these new titles that deserve the spending of your hard-earned ducats:

» "Mutts" creator Patrick McDonnell (whose fine strip can be found leading off our Sunday comics section) has always been an impassioned animal advocate, and every once in a while, he gives abandoned pets a needed voice in strips he calls "Shelter Stories."

A selection of those funny and heart-tugging strips has been collected in "Mutts Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed" (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $16.99). The cartoons are interspersed with 70 candid photos of pets rescued from shelters by loving humans. An introduction by Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, plus an adoption reference guide from the society round out this endearing book.

"Pets enrich our lives in so many ways, showing us their distinctive personalities and giving us so much unconditional love," writes Pacelle. "It's the finest expression of the human-animal bond."

McDonnell's statement -- "adopt some love today" -- has resonance. While about 7.5 million dogs and 16.2 million cats living in U.S. homes were adopted from animal shelters, 3 million to 4 million animals are euthanized every year.

So whether you pick a dog or cat, or even a rabbit, guinea pig, ferret or bird, you'll be giving voice to a once-abandoned animal much like the kitty in one of the "Mutts" strips: "I knew it! I'm a keeper!"

» It's been almost two years to the day that Jon Murakami put out his debut comic book, "Gordon Rider," an affectionate spoof of the 1970s Japanese TV superhero.

Murakami attended the recent Kawaii Kon at the Hawaii Convention Center with -- holy smokes! -- actual copies of a second issue of the title, joined by Gordon Chan, the inspiration behind "Gordon Rider," decked out in his makeshift, if rather shabby, costume.

Murakami apologized for the delay, but it was simply due to finances. In other words, he had to sell enough copies of the first issue (at least half of the 500-copy press run) to know that there was enough interest in it, and second, he had to gather enough money to print No. 2.

This time out, after Gordon saves Blue Car Chick from the evil clutches of Big Bag Dude, our hero battles it out with the very large Gachapon Man ("gachapon" being a popular type of small toy in Japan, dispensed in capsules).

Will Gordon Rider's Mega-Hyper-Ultra-Deluxe-Super-Proton-Omega-Quasi-Tri-Aspartame-Power Up be enough to take down his nemesis?!? Get your copy at Mechahawaii in Kaimuki (1126 12th Ave.; 737-6324) to find out. The comic book is also available at Split Obsession in the Koko Marina Shopping Center. The Web site is www.aroundhawaii.com, or e-mail murakami13@aol.com.

CORRECTION

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Mechahawaii’s phone number is 737-6324.
The phone number given in this article was incorrect. The comic book is also available at Split Obsession in the Koko Marina Shopping Center.
The Web site is www.aroundhawaii.com, or e-mail murakami13@aol.com.